If you think green beer and corned beef are the only makings of St. Patrick's Day, you haven't been celebrating in Ireland. That's not to say that the U.S. take on the holiday is wrong--Chicago pretty much tops the charts with its extravagant green river--but over in the land of Blarney, it's a whole different festival.

St. Patrick's Day actually started out as a religious holiday celebrating the life of St. Patrick. And while there are still a few souls who start the day in church, the focus of the holiday swung from reverence to revelry a long time ago. Today, Ireland indulges in a full six days of eating, drinking, and merrymaking in honor of their country's patron saint.

A lot can change in one year. Just ask Mexico.

In March 2009, the slumping world economy and negative press surrounding the unrest along its border dealt a double blow to tourist destinations such as Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and San Jose Cabo. People just weren't heading to the beaches. The result: unbeatable deals to Mexico. This year, we're seeing visitors take advantage of those low prices to return to the popular spring break spot. Cancun, for instance, jumped from the number 10 spring break spot last year to the number five spot this year.

Travelocity charted the rebound of Mexico, including what places are staging a comeback and how much travelers are paying to vacation there. We found that it's one of only a few destinations where both airfare and hotel rates are down over last year, making package deals to Mexico a real bargain for travelers. Check out our infographic...

Last week I was asked to appear on ABC News Now to discuss spring break deals and how to get the best deal on a hotel stay. We also talked about 100 hotels for under $100 and a great deal going on in the Bahamas. The gist of the interview is that you're going to find great hotel deals out there for spring break -- in fact, in addition to giving tips I also name four hotels with rates under $100 per night this spring. You can watch the video here:

I’ve never been much into the Olympics, but after a trip to Vancouver and Whistler in January I caught a bit of a bug. Anxious to keep the spirit alive as I waited for the Games to begin, I planned an early February trip to Lake Placid, NY, home to the 1932 and 1980 Winter Games and a place both entrenched in and proud of its Olympic history. From ‘Miracle Monday’ specials at the famous Dancing Bears Bar to the photos of champion Olympians past hanging on the walls at the High Peaks Resort to the signs all over town wishing ‘good luck’ to local Andrew Weilbrecht, member of the US Olympic Alpine Ski Team -- the Olympic ties practically hit you over the head at every turn in this tiny town in New York’s Adirondacks.

With Presidents Day and school vacations fast approaching, parents may want to consider a ski getaway for their family. Watch this video for tips on planning your ski trip, where to go, where to stay and what to do once you get to your destination.

If there’s one thing women know about, it’s romance. And if there’s one thing the staff of The Window Seat Blog know about, it’s travel. With that in mind, the bloggettes came together and picked nine hotels in North America they would recommend for Valentine’s Day or a romantic getaway any time of year. For great deals on hotel stays for Valentine’s Day, visit Travelocity.com/romance.

Highly subjective and listed in no particular order, the Window Seat Bloggettes' most romantic hotel picks:

El Conquistador Resort & Golden Door Spa

Farjardo, Puerto Rico

I find choosing a destination for a ski trip daunting, so I can only imagine how big a decision it must be for someone who can actually ski—wherever I end up, I spend a disturbing amount of time sprawled in the snow anyway. (Destination requirement #1: soft powder.) But with a friend living in Park City, Utah, this year, my destination was sealed—and what a magical one it is.

The town touts itself as the country's most convenient ski base, boasting three ski resorts within 35 minutes of Salt Lake City International Airport. And it’s true: not only is it easy to fly in and ski the same day—for free!—but there are frequent free buses running between resorts, and there’s even a lift going directly from Main St. up the slopes of Park City Mountain Resort.

Recently, I watched an episode of MTV’s Jersey Shore. Have you seen it? In the show, a group of housemates spent their days drinking, clubbing, partying, arguing, hooking up, and then getting up the next morning to do it all over again. Permanent residents of the region say that the show is giving them a bad name, that there’s much more to the Jersey Shore than what you see in a snippet of summer when the town’s population practically quadruples.

I’ve never been to the Jersey Shore, but I grew up each summer going to the Delaware shore, which isn’t all that far away. The beach I went to was one of those seasonal towns where summer swelled the local population to unprecedented numbers. And I could see how permanent residents might resent that. Suddenly, their highways were crowded, their stores and restaurants jam packed, and their beaches wall to wall with colorful umbrellas and towels, boom-boxes and beer bottles.

Flying for the holidays? History shows us that the combination of winter weather and holiday crowds can result in delays at the nation's airports. A look at Flight Explorer and Sabre Airport Data Intelligence indicates an increased likelihood of delays on peak travel days at airports with the most passengers departing. Throw a wintery storm into the mix, as The Weather Channel predicts this week, and delays could domino throughout the country. My advice? Have a heart-to-heart with Mother Nature, and ask her to hold-off on the snow dump. If that doesn't work, check your flight status, pack your patience (and a good book) and research things to do at your airport. The chart below illustrates traffic volumes and delays at some of the country's busiest airports.

Being the planner that I am, my Christmas travels were booked months ago, but it's no surprise that procrastinators are still perusing online sites waiting for a better deal to pop up. Don't hold your breath, people. It's not going to happen.

Over the past few months, the last minute travel landscape has changed from a procrastinator's paradise to their very worst nightmare. (Well, at least a very unpleasant dream!) We see prices increasing as we get closer to the Christmas and New Year's holidays, making it harder for travelers to find a last minute deal.